Why Dominant Hand Placement is Huge in Youth Football

99% Of youth football players have a dominantplace him on the right side, as he would be
hand and a dominant side.moving left in most cases. The exception in this
Players naturally move more comfortablyscheme would be the right guard who goes in
towards their dominant hand side. As anboth directions quite a bit. In the Single Wing
experiment, run a drill where players get the ballplaybook there are lots of football plays where
and then make a cut either to the right or left atthe wingback either goes in motion to his left or
a point 5 yards downfield. You will find over 90%even carries the ball to the left. Some Single Wing
of the time the youth football player will cut to hisTeams even have football plays in their bag of
dominant hand side.tricks where the wingback throws the ball. It
We use this fact to our advantage on kickoffs.would be a huge advantage in this Offense if the
Since most football players are right handed andwingback were left handed. In 2006 we had a left
will in most cases cut to their right, we kick tohanded wingback; he scored 12 touchdowns and
the other teams right sideline. We find that evenaveraged nearly 10 yards per carry.
though there is little room to run in between theOn the flip side we had a very good running back
hash and the sidelines, most of the kick returnerstype in 2006 that was left handed as well, he
will still cut to their right, their dominant hand sidestarted at blocking back for us and did an
and refuse to run left. Using this strategy weexcellent job in our SIngle Wing Offense. If you
rarely have to defend more than 1/4 of the fieldhave the 2006 game tape you will see on our
on kickoffs.spinner blocking back wedge or trap plays where
Players that are left handed are going to feelhe carries the ball, he invariably breaks the plays
more comfortable running to their left and rightto his left. This player should have been our
handed players are going to feel morebackup tailback, but in our playbook so many of
comfortable running to their right. In the doubleour tailback designed plays go to the right and our
wing offense where the offense calls for pullingrun pass option play goes to the right as well. We
both the guard and tackle to opposite sidesgave this player reps at tailback, but he never felt
equally in a balanced formation, it would makecomfortable there and could not throw the ball
sense to have your left handed pulling guard andmoving right at all so we didn't end up playing him
tackle on the right side (pulling left) and theat tailback. If your Single Wing team ever has a
righties on the left side ( pulling right).very dominant player that is a lefty and you want
In the Single Wing Offense, our linemen are into play him at tailback, consider making your base
most cases stepping to the inside to protect theformation unbalanced left and run your base
inside gaps. If you have a left handed linemen infootball plays to the left.
this offense, it would be to your advantage to